what is the best type of HO track nickel or steel. I am setting up my set on 3 4x8 sheets as its been 11 years since I had a basement (recently moved from FL to GA mountains) and excited to start but need all new track.

I run nickel-silver, brass, electroplate steel, and plain steel on my H0 layout. They all work equally well because I oil them (as posted elsewhere.) If I did not use oil, then I would prefer nickel-silver because it gets dirty the slowest.

Biggest problem with nickel-silver is that it still requires cleaning occasionally. Oiled track, even the bare steel, almost never does.

if you have the time and patience to do it. handlaid track is the best. but any track you lay is only as good as what you lay it on. the best track in the world will do you no good if you have a weak foundation.

nickle silver rail is better than brass or steel, it ocnducts electricity better, and is much easier to solder to.

Because you may have read something on the internet somewhere, it doesn't necessarily make it the truth.The internet is full of misinformation.

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Nickel silver without a doubt - better electrical conductivity,...

Not true, or to be PC, misinformation.

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nickle silver rail is better than brass or steel, it ocnducts electricity better,

Again not true. Actually itís just the opposite. Steel rails conduct electricity the best of the three, followed by Brass, and then Nickel Silver being rather poor in comparison.The oxidation on Nickel Silver track is actually less resistive than that of both Steel and Brass. It is also slower to form.These qualities make Nickel Silver a good choice for rail however, giving up electrical conductivity in exchange.

Do not take my word as gospel, research for yourself.

If youíre using dissimilar rail type, I would caution soldering them together at the rail joints, but that is for another thread.Again, do your own research.

If youíre using dissimilar rail type, I would caution soldering them together at the rail joints, but that is for another thread.

Does this mean different code rails - 70 to 83 or does it mean nickle silver to brass for examples? In addition, do you advocate soldering them together or NOT soldering them together? Gene

no, there is no problem soldering different sizes of rail together that are made of the same metal. just make sure that the tops and inner edges of the rails are aligned.

as for different types of metal, i haven't had any problems with soldering them together brass (which i have used for sidings) and nickle silver. the brass requires cleaning and flux for the solder to work. steel is VERY difficult to solder to, and using flux tends to rust the rail. btw, i only use rosin type flux. the acid flux used to solder pipes is no good for model railroad use.

i have heard that different metals joined together can cause corrosion due to a small electric current between the metals, but this is getting into chemistry and physics here. aluminum was notorious for corrosion when joined to another metal, and aluminum wiring which was used in houses and some diesel locomotives was a known source of fires.

Research the works and theoryís of Abraham Bennett, also Volta, and Cavallo.

As I have stated many times on forums, modeling toy trains is not rocket science as many make it up to be.

I donít wish to be one of them, but you askedÖ

Itís pretty simpleÖ place the loco on the tracks; apply voltage, increase current, and the loco moves.If this does not happen, well, thatís fodder for forums like this one.They ask for advice.

This is all well beyond the scope of the neophyte just getting started in the hobby.

FWIW I am not in the soldering camp for every section of track. Iím not sure why you would ask what I advocate.Regardless, I solder a feeder to each section of flex track.

Iím an N scaler and each section of Atlas code 80 is just over 29 inches. In case you havenít noticed, I live in Florida, where changes in humidity, and temperature, must be considered. Not so much for the thermal expansion of the track, but rather the expansion and contraction of the benchwork, due to relative humidity.

Three lengths of flex is my limit.

Do me a favor Gene, do your research at the library rather than on the internet.